Championship | Gameweek 23

Dec 26, 2024 at 3pm UK

Swansea.com Stadium

Swansea vs QPR

Match preview

Swansea are currently in 11th place in the Championship table, having won seven, drawn six and lost nine of their 22 league matches.

The Swans last won on 10 December, with goals from Jay Fulton and Liam Cullen in a 2-1 away win against Plymouth Argyle.

That result made it four games in a row without defeat, but since then Swansea have had a couple of disappointing games. They let a two-goal lead slip in a 3-2 loss against Sunderland and then lost 2-1 away to Hull City on Saturday.

They looked like they were going to get a point at the MKM Stadium after Harry Darling scored to cancel out Joao Pedro's opener, but Mason Burstow scored in the 80th minute to send Swansea down to their sixth away defeat of the Championship season.

Luke Williams's side will now head back to the Swansea.com Stadium, where they've only managed to pick up 13 points from 10 league games this season, putting them in joint third place for the worst home record in the division.

They've also lost three of their last four home games against QPR, losing all of those 1-0, including their most recent match in April.

QPR went into the November international break at the bottom of the Championship table after getting just 10 points from their first 15 matches.

But they've since done a solid seven-game unbeaten run, moving up to 14th and seven points clear of the bottom three.

They started their unbeaten run with draws against Stoke City and Watford, followed by a 2-0 away win against Cardiff City, and then home wins against Norwich City and Oxford United without conceding.

After a 1-1 draw with Bristol City, QPR went on to win 2-1 against Preston North End at Loftus Road on Saturday.

Rayan Kolli scored his third goal in four games to cancel out Milutin Osmajic's opener, before Jimmy Dunne netted an 89th-minute winner to secure a third consecutive home victory.

Having let in just three goals in the last seven matches, the R's will be hoping to put in another solid defensive performance in Thursday's away game, as they go in search of their third away league victory of the season.

Recent Form

Swansea City Championship form:WDDWLL

Queens Park Rangers Championship form:WDWWDW

Team News

The hosts are going to be without Joe Allen, Ollie Cooper and Kristian Pedersen because of their injuries.

Josh Ginnelly and Sam Parker are almost ready to get back on the pitch, but they won't be ready for the Boxing Day match.

Cullen will be looking to keep up his recent form in the final third, having scored four goals in Swansea's previous seven matches, including strikes in each of their last three home games.

The visitors have also given some positive news, with Steve Cook not having to have an operation after his foot injury in the recent win over Preston.

They haven't said how long he'll be out for, but they have said that he'll be out for at least 10 days before he can be checked again.

QPR boss Marti Cifuentes is also missing Karamoko Dembele and Zan Celar due to knee and hamstring injuries respectively.

Possible starting lineup

Swansea City possible starting lineup:

Vigouroux; Key, Cabango, Darling, Tymon; Fulton, Grimes; Peart-Harris, Cullen, Eom; Vipotnik

Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:

Nardi; Dunne, Morrison, Fox, Paal; Field, Varane; Smyth, Morgan, Saito; Kolli